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Key promises made by major parties ahead of federal election

Eliza Sayon May 18, 2022

2 min read

With the federal election looming in, the major parties have laid out their key promises for the public that they will implement if they win.

The Coalition has promised to create 1.3 million extra jobs over the next five years, including 450,000 in regional Australia, to address job loss during the pandemic and improve economic recovery.

They will also increase job offerings in the technology sector in their plans to make Australia a top-10 data and digital economy by 2030.

Aside from this, they have also pledged to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 and a 26-to-28 per cent greenhouse gas emissions cut by 2030.

In light of concerns about citizens not being able to pay their taxes, the Coalition has stated that they will provide $12 billion in tax relief should they win. They have also stated that they will ensure taxes do not exceed 23.9 per cent of the economy.

They will also allow first home buyers to use 40 per cent of their superannuation (capped at $50,000) to buy a house, and expand the superannuation contribution scheme for people who are downsizing a primary residence to free up housing stock.

The Coalition has also promised that, if they are returned to government, big tech companies will have to enhance their devices with safety controls that are easy for parents to use and hard for children to bypass.

They have also pledged changes within the country’s health and aged care sector, from introducing round-the-clock nurses in aged care facilities by 2025 to providing over 50,000 older Australians access to the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card.

The Liberal/National party is also pushing down on improving Australia’s defence sector with the promise of a $428 million investment to upgrade four defence force air bases by 2024.

The Labor Party has also provided their plans should they win the federal election. In the health and aged care sector, Labor has promised to provide registered aged care nurses on-site 24 hours a day, more carers, a pay rise for workers and better food for residents.

They have also promised to reduce childcare costs to help families across the country.

A minimum wage rise is also promised by Labor to help struggling Aussies keep pace with increasing inflation levels while increasing worker productivity and closing the gap on wages.

Similar to the Coalition, Labor plans to also achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. However, they intend on doing so by cutting down 43 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions while driving investment in renewable energy and creating 604,000 new jobs by 2030.

Labor has further pledged to make changes within government by planning to implement the Uluru Statement from the Heart in full and deliver a constitutionally enshrined Voice to Parliament, and bolster relations with Pacific nations in the wake of the Solomon Islands’ security pact with China.

Aside from this, they promised to establish a national anti-corruption commission and a royal commission into Centrelink ‘robodebt’.

If they win the federal election, Labor will also push to promote women’s economic opportunity and make gender pay equity an objective of the Fair Work Act, and push for the Housing Australia Future Fund and Help to Buy scheme to provide an equity contribution from the government for up to 10,000 aspiring homeowners a year on low and middle incomes.

With AAP

Eliza Sayon

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Eliza is a content producer and editor at Public Spectrum. She is an experienced writer on topics related to the government and to the public, as well as stories that uplift and improve the community.